Which sites offer legal esports betting in Canada?

Video game tournaments have been around for decades now. Local arcade tournaments were held in the 1980s, Nintendo organized a number of tournaments, and games such as Street Fighter II revolutionized competition in gaming. 

However, it wasn’t until the 2010s that so-called esports came to prominence. Esports refers to organized leagues and events where professional gamers are pitted against each other in an organized setting. 

Esports Leagues have become massively popular in recent years, reaching new levels of popularity in the late 2010s and early 2020s. The popularity of esports has drawn in a huge number of punters, looking to monetize their video game fandom. Betting on esports has become a favorite pastime among fans of esports and video games, and more are joining by the day.

In Canada, esports is rapidly growing, and Canadian teams and players have been popping up with increased frequency. One of Canada’s most popular and successful team is Luminosity Gaming but Canada has also produced star players including Michael “shroud” Grzesiek, Félix “xQc” Lengyel, and Artour “Arteezy” Babaev. 

In Canada the popularity of esports is increasing and more people are wondering about the legality of online betting when it comes to video game competitions.

Is Online Betting in Canada Legal?

The answer to this question is a complicated one. Placing bets using offshore bookmakers is unregulated in Canada, however, it is not strictly illegal. This means that Canadians, at least for now, are free to place bets using offshore betting sites. 

In fact, many of these betting sites cater to the Canadian user base by allowing Canadian Dollars as a proper payment method. 

Additionally, single-match betting has been legalized in Canada recently. To put it simply and clearly, yes, online betting in Canada is, indeed, legal. 

The best esports betting sites in Canada

As stated, esports has been gaining traction in Canada and many legal betting sites have shifted their business practice in an attempt to cater to the newly acquired Canadian user base. Even Canadian licensed sportsbooks have begun to embrace esports as a viable option.

However, most Canadian fans of esports recommend that newcomers to the hobby use offshore betting sites, as they offer a lot more options, tips, and advantages for newbies. It’s worth taking a look at the most popular betting sites which are legal to use in Canada. 

BetOnline

BetOnline was first established in 2001 and has been going strong for over two decades. They are one of the most popular and prestigious online gambling and betting sites.

Not only can users of BetOnline play numerous casino games from the comfort of their own home, they can also follow their detailed and thorough sports coverage, analysis, and place bets on the dozens of sports that BetOnline covers. 

The most recent addition to the pantheon of sports covered on BetOnline is esports. BetOnline now allows placing bets on professional video game competitions. On top of that, it also was one of the first betting sites to accept Bitcoin deposits and withdrawals, making it easy to use across the world.